elford



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. ELPORD.

PORTABLE HOUSE.

N0. 323,030. Patented July 28, 1885 I-I 6,1. FIGJZ.

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N. PETERS, Phowuuw n w, Wnhinglon. n.c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-"Sheet 2.

W. ELFORD.

PORTABLE" HOUSE.

No. 323,030. Patented July 28, 1885.

FIG a F|G,9. FIGJO.

FIG l2 FIGJY. n

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\RJL JFU F|e,|9.. WITNESSES, INVENTEIR,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM ELFORD, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

PORTABLE HOUSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,030, dated July 28, 1885.

Applicatit n filed May 25, 181*3. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ELFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of Oalifornia,have invented anew and usefulIrnprovement in Portable Houses, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a three-room house. Fig. 2 is an end view of an end plate. Fig. 3 shows the ventilating-slide C. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the side sills with sections of the corner-posts and broken parts of the end sills. Fig. 5 is an end view of the sills. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the house. Fig. 7 is a section of the corner-posts H, showing the gains for the siding and the metallic tongue K. Fig. 8 shows the end of the side plate with a section cut out to show the ventilating-opening. Italso shows the ventilating-slide O in section cut through the ventilatingopening. A broken piece of the upper ceiling,nailed in the gain or notch formed to receive it, is also shown. Fig. 9 shows a top or end view of an intermediate post with gain or notch to receive the partition-boards. Fig. 10 shows an intermediate post formed to receive a window or door frame and partition. Fig. 11 shows an intermediate post where there is no partition.

.Fig. 12 shows an intermediate post connecting a partition-wall in the inner part of the house. Fig. 13 shows the end of a piece of siding grooved to receive the tongue K for outside walls. Fig. 14 shows the end of a piece of inner partition-board. Fig. 15 shows the end or top View of an outside post formed to receive a window or door frame where there is no partition. Fig. 16 shows the end view of a piece of door-frame. Fig. 17 shows the end view of the window-frame. Fig. 18 shows the end view of the roofing-board, with another broken piece in position at the side to show the manner of joining the edges and forming the j oint. Fig. 19 shows the ends of another form of roofing-boards or boards joined bya difi'erent form'of tongue. Fig. 20 is a section showing a corner-post and an intermediate post with the siding in position.

Arepresents the end view of the side plate; B, the ceiling-board; O, the ventilating slide; D, the opening in the ventilating-slide; E, the

I represents the shrinkage-adjusting slots.

which receive pins on the sills.

J represents the groove in the posts to re ceive the ends of the partition-boards forming the siding. I

K represents the tongue that connects the siding with the posts in the grooves J to form a tight joint.

L represents the siding or boards forming the outside wall.

M represents the intermediate posts in the outside wall.

N represents the gain or mortise upon the outside of the sill to receive a corresponding outside tenon upon'the post.

0 represents the end of the end plate; P, the rabbet to receive the ceiling.

Q represents the shoulder to receive the ordinary rustic with which the gables are finished, being nailed 011 in'the usual way.

S represents the groove in the top of the sill to receive a tongue-strip to unite with the Siding.

'1 represents the groove in the bottom of the end and side plates to receive the tongue of the siding.

U represents the grooves andV the tongues of the siding and partition boards.

WV represents the roofing'boards.

X represents metal tongues to form the joints in the roofing-boards.

Y represents the groove or saw-kerf to receive the tongue or metal strip X in joining them.

Z represents another form of metal tongue for the roofing-boards, which I sometimes em- 10 p The following is the construction and operation of niyimproved portable house: I generaly construct the roofing of inch and oneeighth thick by seven inches and three-quarters wide redwood or other suitable lumber. I form the kerf or angular groove Y at about the angle shown in Fig. 18 in each of the edges. I then form the metal strip X a kind of trough to fit the angle of the saw-kerf in the roofing board, as shown in Fig. 18. This trough is designed to carry off all the rain that falls upon or runs through the crack or seam formed by the shrinkage of the roofing. Iform the end plate of any suitable lumber,witl1 the rabbet P to receive the end of the ceiling, and the shoulder Q to receive the common rustic boards with which I finish the whole of the gable. I form the side plate, A, witha rabbet sufficiently deep to receive the end of the ceil ing, and leave sufficient lumber aboveto form the ventilating-openings'E, which I form by boring about one and three-quarters inch in diameter, and arrange them as shown in Fig. 1. to correspond with the opening in the slide 0. (Shown in Fig. 3.) By moving the slide 0 the ventilating-ports may be opened or closed to any desired extent. The corner-posts are provided with the slots I, to receive pins on the sills, and thus permit of the raising of the sills G as fast as the siding shrinks,'and the outer tcnons on the intermediate posts are left sufficiently long, and the shoulder is left high enough from the sillto allow for all shrinkage of the siding. The tongue K keeps thejoints between the posts an d lhesiding tight together. In joining the window or door frames with the posts I use atongne-strip,whichI nailinto the groove J, to leave the tongues projecting to fit in the groove J in the posts. I employ this tongue to save lumber that might otherwise be wasted, as it will be seen that the tongue may be formed upon the same piece of which the frame is made.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The corner-post H, having the grooves J, the metal tongues K, and the slot I, in combination with the sills G and siding L. constructed and operated substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The portablehouse herein described,comprising in its construction the cornerposts H, having grooves J, tongues K, and slots I, the roofing boards having the grooves Y and tongues X fitted therein, siding L, sills G, and intermediate posts having grooves and tongues, substantially as shown and described.

W'ILLIAM ELFORD.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN H. REDSTONE, ALBERT E. REDSTONE. 

